How to Plan a Landscape

Now let us be practical. Everyone wants a beautiful garden and landscape, and they want it yesterday. Many go out and purchase hybrids that will grow at fantastic speeds, never once giving thought of the consequences. This article will give you many ideas on how to Landscape your yard the right way, to get the best results for today, and the future.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paper and pencil with eraser.
• Tape Measure-50-100 feet is best.
• Optional: A book to Identify plants, trees, shrubs and more.
• Optional: A graphics, landscaping, or drawing computer program for later when you get your draft completed. You can print these out; and take it to the nursery with your measurements and ideas.

1. 
   Professional Version of Landscape Design Plan

   With paper and pencil in hand, you will begin your first draft out in your yard. You will estimate footage for now, and rough out a general layout of your yard. Please don’t spend a lot of time on this, as you will make another one later on. Add the large objects that cannot or will not be moved or removed. This is a more professional version that one day you can shoot for, but for now, don't worry, you will make more than one of these before you are finished.

2. Once you have completed the first step (for any areas you are planning on planting), you will begin taking notes right on the page. If you have a great deal of new planting space, this will be more than one page. Everything you think of should go on the page. If you run out of space, don't worry, just write smaller, as this is (again), your final draft.

3. 
   Tree Damage can be expensive too.

   While you walk your property, identify your plants or trees, and analyze them. This of how large some of your planting choices will be at full maturity. Will they need continual pruning to keep from creating damage to your property? Will they grow over drives and walkways? Will they block the view from your windows, or make entering your doors difficult? Scary thought but can a burglar hide behind them. Think ahead! With this information in hand about all the existing landscape, decide now what must go.

4. 
   Here is what happens when you don't maintain what you plant.

   This step you will begin to consider the maintenance that will be involved. For landscaping, start only with your large "foundation" plants. Use dwarf varieties around your walkways, and buy perennials, or bulbs instead of annuals. This saves you time and money, as they come back every year, as bulbs also multiply each year. Write down these timesaving, and many times money saving ideas. Make another big note to yourself: Even though it may be pretty now…keep your maintenance down, by designing and caring for your yard a little bit at a time.

5. 
   Your beautifully landscaped yard.

   Print out the following list. It is a great reminder to help you remember what you should be looking for in your end results…and getting there easier.
   
   * Use the right tool for the job.
   * Choose plants suited for your site.
   * On a steep, hard-to-mow slope, build terraces to break the slope into steps.
   * Do not struggle with sparse, weedy grass weeding, under trees, surround trees with beds of shade loving plants.
   * Avoid using sharp angles or fussy curves when planning flowerbeds. It makes mowing around them easier.
   * Reduce lawn to mow, and use low maintenance ground cover, or install decking.
   * Choose disease free insect resistant, trees and plants.
   * Plant inclines with groundcovers. Creeping thyme is good and very fragrant.
   * Choose plants, which do not have messy droppings, such as seedpods, sap, or large flowers.
   * Use a mulching lawn mower. Remember grass clippings are high in nitrogen, and our plants love it.
   
   REMEMBER YOU TOO, can have a beautiful landscaped yard, if you just keep it simple, and plan. Keep in mind...LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION and you will succeed!

Tips & Warnings

• Your local County Extension can help you learn more about the plants native to your area, and easy to grow.
• Check local Lawn Mower Repair Shops for reduced priced lawn mowers. Many times you can get a mower and Week Eater for less than $100.00 combined.
• Reuse old Garden Hoses with holes, by poking more holes with a wide nail. Repeat this the entire length of the hose to lay down as a ground soaker.
• Always check with your Local Utility Department before digging, or removing large items such as buildings or matured trees from your yard.

Resources

• Landscaping at your Desktop-Software

[Blackbear]

on 2/19/2008 Excellent article! Good planning. This should be very helpful to anyone wanting to landscape.

[MidniteWriter]

on 2/15/2008 You can also do this online or with computer software.

Thank you for the great ideas. Glad to see you on eHow! Thanks for being a connection here. Looking forward to more of your articles.

[kjv4thee]

on 2/3/2008 Great article Jill, Your on your way. I've still got to put in my first video. There is so much you can do on this eHow. Don't you love it?